Continous kiln.



No. 703,848. Patented lu|y.|, |902.

F. E. SWIFT. CONTINUOUS' KlLN. (Application mea sept. 1o, i901.) (No Model.) v 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

l l.' I i m. 702.843. Pa'tented -1u|y[|, |902.

' F. E. SWIFT.

CONTINUOUS KILN (Application nx'ed sept. 10.1901.) (No Model.) @Sheets-.Shut 2.

ffi Y vf f @rinviando No. 703,848. Patented my l, |902.

F. E. swlFT.

CONTINUOUS KILN.

(Application med sept. `1o 1901.) m Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

fici-. Y

No. 703,848. Patented my l, |902.

. F. E. swlFT.

CONTINUOUS KILN.

(Application file d Sept. 10, 1901.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

@YW/'ff NiTEn STATES) PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. SWIFT, OF WASHINGTON, IOVA.

CONTINUOUS KILN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. I703,824.8, dated July 1, 1902.

Application filed September 10,1901. Serial No. 74,944. (No model.)

To all whom t puny concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. SWIFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the county of Washington and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Kilns; and I-do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in continuous kilns for burning brick, pottery, and other ware and for other analogous purposes.

The invention provides a continuous kiln more especially adapted for use in connection with furnaces using slack and other cheaper varieties of fuel, but. also adapted to be used advantageously' inV connection with all types of kiln-furnaces, Ythe object in view being to secure the better heating of the kiln-chambers, the more equable circulation of the heat and flames, and the more thorough and uniform burning of the brick or other ware, as well as to insure economy in ring and the effective regulation. of the heat to suit the character of ware under treatment.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be'hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, vFigure l is a top plan view of a continuous kiln embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end 'elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrow from the line 2 2 inFig. l. Fig. 3 is an elevational view of three of the kiln-chambers lookingin the direction of the arrow from the line 3 3 in Fig. l. Fig. et is an irregular vertical cross-section through the saine kilnparallel rows or batteries,the chambers of one row being denoted by the numerals 1 to l0, inclusive, and the chambers of the other row by the numerals 1l to 20, inclusive. These chambers may be of any desired size and general construction,and the end chambers l and -20 and l0 and ll are connected by underground and overhead iues A and B, through which the heat and iiames circulate from one to the other,th us establishing communication between the two rows of chambers. The space or passage between the'two rows of kiln-chambers-isof proper Width rto form a street or driveway for the passage of cars or teams in loading and unloading the chambers and removing the ashes. The overhead iiues B are preferably arched to enable the passage of teams beneath them'. C is an auxiliary or starting furnace connected with the kilnchamber l.

Each kiln-chamber is provided at one end with a furnace D and at the other end with a smoke-stack E and a doorway F,said doorway being closed by a temporary filling of brick when the kiln is in operation. The furnace and smoke-stacks of' the adjacent kilns are preferably arranged alternately at opposite endsof thekilns throughout vthe series, although in large kilns there may be one or more furnaces and a door in each end of each kiln-chamber. The furnaces used may be of the type shown in' my United States Letters PatentV No. 501,380, dated July ll, 1893, designed for using slack and like cheap varietiesof fuel, or it may be of any other desired type and construction.

Each kilnis, furthermore, provided with a longitudinal underground iiue G, leading to the smoke-stack, said flue having at the top a perforated plate g and at its outer end a damper h, by means of which the ue may be closed to prevent the passage of the flames and gases to the smoke-stack. The Haines and gases enter theV iue through the perforations in the platey g, and said flue is located adjacent to thejfartherside wall ofthe kilnchamber in the direction of travel of the flames and gases, so that the latter in passing to the iue will be caused to swoop across the Iioor of the chamber and to come into intimate contact with the ware being burned, whereby thorough burning of the lower IOO courses or tiers of the ware is insured. The pends upon the kind and condition of the ware kiln-chambers are in communication with each other at top and bottom through passages formed in their side walls, each kiln of e'ach battery being in communication at top with the next adjacent kiln through a horizontal passage t, controlled by a damper j, and at bottom through a longitudinal series of horizontal passages 7c, alongside of which is arranged a gutter Z. intersecting these passages 7c are vertical feed chutes or passages m, through which coal or other fuel may be supplied from the exterior to close said passages 7c, for a purpose hereinafter described. The chutes m open to thel exterior through the top of the kiln and are closed by suitable lids or covers n. At one or both ends of the kiln a Stoke-hole ois provided in line with the gutter Z, so that a poker may be introduced to force the coal or ashes away from the'passages 7c to clear the same. Ventholes p, having suitable closures q, are provided in the top of the kiln-chamber to facilitate the outlet of the heat when cooling the chamber at the end of the burning operation; As heretofore stated, the two rows of kilnchambers are in communication at their ends by the fines A and B, which establish a contin uous circulation. y

Instead of having a separate smoke-stack E for each kiln-chamber I may, if desired, provide one large smoke-stack and have the underground flues G communicate with the same.

The operation is as follows: The kiln-chamber l is first filled with the brick or substance to be burned and the fines or passages between the kiln-chambers are closed, the fiues t being closed by shutting the dampers 7' and the iiues 7o closed by filling them with coal or slack, a portion of which rests in the gutter Z. The flues 7c may be closed from the interior before the dporways'F are sealed or from the exterior after said doorways are sealed through the chutes fm. The doorways are sealed after the kiln is filled with the ware to be burned by filling them up with bricks and mud or suitable cement. i The undergroundflue dampers h are, however, left open to the desired extent to create the necessary draft. When this has been done, fires are started in the 'startingfurnace C, and the furnace D of the kiln-chamber l and the heat and flames therefrom circulate around in the chamber and across the fioor thereof and thence pass f out to the smoke-stack E through the underbeing burned) the fuel in flues 7c, between chambers l and 2, takes fire and is finally consumed, whereby said flues are opened for the passage of the heat and flames from chamber l into chamber 2. At this time the damper 7L in the smoke-stack of chamber 1 or in the iiue leading to smoke-stack is closed and the damper j, controlling the fiue i between the two chambers, opened, whereby all the excess heat and the iiames from chamber l are caused to pass into the tp and bottom of the chamber 2, the top currents taking a down ward course and the bottom currents sweeping across the iioor of the chamber 2, whereby the said chamber is equallyheated through; out its entire area and the ware uniformly burned. This operation is repeated as each of the chambers reach the degree of heat required to burn the fuel which closes the passages or flues 7c, and thus the excess heat from one is used to burn the contents of the others following it throughout the series, the heat and flames from the end chambers l0 and 20 of the two batteries of chambers being caused to pass into the other end chambers 11 and l through the connecting-fines A and B, so that after all the kiln-chambers have been putin use the excess heat from the chamber 20 will be utilized to assist in heating the chamber l, thereby obviating the necessity of again using the starting-furnace C until the kiln is again started up after a period of inactivity. A period of one day is generally allowed to elapse between the 'starting of one kiln and the starting of the next succeeding kiln in regular order; but this period of course depends upon the kind and condition of ware being burned. This operation of firing each successive kiln in regular order is continued until a suflicient number have been placed in working order, it requiring from three to six days to thoroughly dry and burn the contents of a chamber. Then after such a pe riod has elapsed the flues between the kilns fired first are closed and the door or doors and vent-openings opened to allow the said chambers to cool off. When from anycause the temperature of any chamber should fall below a determined point, the temperature may be increased by feeding into said chamber through the chutes m a small amount of coal, which will be ignited by the flames and cause the temperature of the interior of the kiln to to rise. On commencing the burning operation in chambers 11 and l during the regular operation of the kiln it is desirable to run the furnaces of the chambers 10 and 2O for a little longer period than usual in order that the temperature of said chambers 11 and l may be quickly broughtto the desired high point by the entrance thereinto of the heat and flames from the chambers 10 and 20 through the iiues A and B.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that upon the opening of the fines and 7c between two adjacent kilns the heat and IOO IIO

`the lower courses of the ware will be burned as effectually as the top and intermediate courses thereof, thereby causing the production of evenly-burned ware of uniform quality throughout. Furthermore, by this mode of circulation of the heat and burning-gases sti mud or shale-brick and other moistureladen ware may be quickly and evenly burned without the necessity of subjecting them to the ordinary preliminary process of drying.

By using a furnace of the construction shown in my prior patent much better results may be secured on account of the more complete consumption'of the products of combustion and the absence of a smoky flame; but any other type of furnace may be used with advantage over a kiln of ordinary construction. Hence I do not limit the invention to the use of any particular type, arrangement, or number of furnaces and reserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent isl. A continuous kiln comprising a series of kiln-chambers, each chamber having a furnace, a smoke-stack, and a flue having a controlling-damper and leading to the smokestack, combined with upper and lower passages between chambers, dampers controlling the upper passages, and means for introducing a combustible element for closing the lower passages, substantially as described.

2. In a continuous kiln, and in combination with adjoining chambers, upper and lower lues connecting the top and bottom portions of the chambers, a damper controlling the upper 1iue,and means for introducing a combustible element for closing the lower ilue or flues, substantially as described.

3. In a continuous kiln, and in combination with adjoining chambers, upper and lower ilues connecting the top and bottom portions of the chambers, a damper controlling the upper flue, and vertical chutes or passages leading to the lo wer lues, whereby a combustible substance, such as coal, may be introduced to close said liues, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK E. SWIFT. Witnesses:

W. H. BUTTERFIELD, J. A. MILLER. 

